1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to destacking devices, and more particularly to a device for automatically feeding, one at a time, relatively thin flat articles, such as paperboard sheets or knocked down boxes from the top of a stack of such articles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior art search directed to the subject matter of this application in the United States Patent and Trademark Office disclosed the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,033,951; 1,795,436; 2,593,814; 2,601,072; 2,621,806; 2,679,799; 2,826,336; 3,165,312; 4,395,032.
None of the prior art patents uncovered in the search discloses a destacking mechanism or device like that of the present invention which includes a floating gate mechanism having a portion resting on the topmost article of the stack of articles to be dispensed, so that only one article at a time will be fed through the gate mechanism, and wherein the gate mechanism is mounted in such a manner as to be able to move slight distances laterally, vertically, and diagonally to accommodate receipt of articles which are not in a perfectly level position.